Panic struck Southern Germany yesterday later afternoon when the citizens of Lünebach were informed that lions, tigers, a jaguar and a bear had all escaped the local ‘Eiffel Zoo’. Residents were told within a 10-kilometre radius to stay indoors until the predator animals could be recaptured.

When zookeepers saw that some of the cages were flooded, they sent in a camera equipped drone to locate the predator animals and immediately informed the police that 2 lions, 2 tigers, a jaguar and a bear had escaped from their enclosures. Police squads from neighbouring cities were called in and a massive search was then launched involving police, firefighters and veterinarians.

However, great was the shame of the zoo owners when a few hours later, with 5 police squads looking for the animals and residents of three neighbouring towns told to stay indoors, they found that most of the animals had been in their cages all the time, but because of the flood water they didn’t see them as the mammals had sought to hide from the floodwater.